Purple carrots have been around considerably longer than the orange ones. The first purple carrots are thought to have been cultivated around 5,000 years ago in Afghanistan; it was the Arabs who introduced them to Spain— long before anyone in the Netherlands had an opinion on the matter.

Purple is definitely the new orange — zanahoria morá from Andalucía.

The Dutch do deserve credit for what came next. In the 17th century, Dutch farmers—then the premier carrot growers in Europe - developed a stable strain of orange carrots, almost certainly through selective breeding of yellow and white varieties. Historians propose that the Dutch developed the orange carrot as a tribute to William of Orange, although this claim remains contentious. Either way, the orange carrot became the global standard, and the purple one quietly retreated to the margins. Except, it turns out, in a small village in Málaga province.

The Purple Carrot Capital of Andalucía

Cuevas Bajas is a village of around 1,600 people in the north of Málaga province, and every year around the first week of December it holds La Fiesta de la Zanahoria Morá — a fiesta dedicated entirely to the purple carrot. It is, as far as anyone can tell, unique. The Cueveño farmers never got the Dutch memo, and their purple carrots have been grown in the area for centuries.

I have a small connection to Cuevas Bajas. A British family from the village adopted a puppy I rescued from a tree hollow in the olive groves near Casa Adora — a story for another day — and it was through that connection that I first learned about the fiesta. I haven't attended, but it is very much on the list.

Are Purple Carrots Better for You?

The short answer is: differently good. Purple carrots contain all the vitamin A and beta-carotene of their orange cousins, but the deep colour comes from anthocyanins — the same compounds that give blueberries their superfood reputation. Anthocyanins are associated with improved memory, better eyesight, anti-inflammatory properties and some protection against heart disease. So purple carrots are, in their quiet way, rather remarkable.

Do they taste different? I've done the blind tasting, and I honestly cannot tell. The purple one might be very slightly crunchier — but that could easily be the power of suggestion. What I can tell you is that chopping them will turn your fingers impressively purple. Consider yourself warned.

Cooking with Purple Carrots

They work anywhere you'd use an orange carrot. I've added them to my North African Lamb Stew — the recipe calls for a large orange carrot and suggests a small purple one if you have it, which adds a subtle visual drama to the finished dish. They also work well in spiced curries; I've used one alongside the carrots in my Jamaican Goat Curry with good results.

One note: purple carrots lose some of their colour when cooked — the anthocyanins are water-soluble and leach out in liquid. Roasting preserves colour better than boiling. Raw is best of all, which makes them a natural for salads and slaws.

This purple carrot guide is part of my Veg, Fruit & Pulses collection. Wonky photos, proper produce, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef